Sole pressing machine



June 12,1951 E, F SMALL 2,556,402

SOLE PRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

J1me 1951 E. F. SMALL soLE PRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT June 12, 1951 F. SMALL sous PRESSING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 w flaumm INVENTOR.

BY 899i @411 Patented June 12, 1951 SOLE PRESSING MACHINE Edward F. Small, Newton, Mass, assignor' to Compo Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application May 22 1948, Serial No. 28,571

6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in the manufacture of footwear, and more particularly to a machine for applying pressure to the soles of shoes during operations such as cement sole attaching or bottom levelling.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved sole pressing machine of relatively simple construction having but few moving parts and which can be rapidly operated by a single controlling member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sole pressing machine having a plurality of inflatable sole presses on a rotatable table, with a single disconnectable air supply device for alternately inflating a press and causing rotation of the table.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sole pressing machine having a rotatable table, with sole presses the beds of which are integral with the table, thus reducing the number of parts and total weight of the machine.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a sole pressing machine having a plurality of sole presses on a rotatable table, which is completely pneumatically operated yet which allows inflation of the presses to .be selective and rotation of the table to be automatic.

- Other objects of the invention will inpart be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction. combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

Accordingly, the machine illustrated comprises a plurality of inflatable sole presses spaced equidistant on a rotatable table arranged to preent each press in turn at an operating station where a shoe can be inserted and the press inflated. In the preferred construction the bed of each press is formed integral with the rotatable table and the sole pressing pad is clamped directly thereto. As illustrated each press is provided with a separate inflating valve which protrudes from the underside of the rotatable table and is in alignment with one end of a reciprocable air supply chuck. The opposite end of the air supply chuck being in alignment with and normally biased into engagement with a port leading to a pneumatic cylinder arranged to rotate the table sufficiently to bring the next press to the operating station.

The illustrated machine is also provided with means forholding'shoes upon the sole pressing 2 pads. The shoe holding means being attached to and forming part of the rotatable table. Each shoe holder is arranged to be tilted to facilitate easy positioning of a shoe upon the sole pressing pad.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sole pressing machine embodying features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantiallyalong lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. I, but partly in section to show details of the table rotating device;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation on an enlarged scale showing a press at the loading station and the air supply chuck in engagement with the port of the table rotating cylinder;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the treadle rod moved to engage the air supply chuck with the valve of the press at the operating station, the sole press pad inflated, and the port of the table rotating cylinder opened to the atmosphere; and

Fig. 7 isa sectional view on an enlarged scale of one of the air supply chuck couplings.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the illustrated machine comprises a base frame In which has secured to its upper end surface a bracket ll having a central boss l2 in which is formed a bore to receive the reduced diameter i3 of a vertically extending shaft M. A thrust washer E5 is arranged to fit over the reduced diameter l3 and a nut It serves to clamp the shaft and the thrust washer to the bracket i l A hub ll fits over the shaft M and rests upon the thrust washer l5 and another thrust washerit rests upon the upper end of the hub and is, clampedto a shoulder on the shaft by a nut 59 in a manner which allows the hub to be freelyrotatable on the shaft. 7

The table 20 is secured by the screws 2| to a flange formed on the hub I? and the hub and table are adapted to be rotated as a unit as hereinafter described.

A plurality of shoe presses are provided and form part of the table 26. The bed of each press is formed by an oval shaped depression 22 cast into the table and which is of a size suitable to receive the size range of shoes to be operated serves to clamp the sheet to the table in a 1-.

manner which makes an airtight joint.

The sole pressing diaphragm 21, if made of leather or other porous material, is backed by a sheet 28 of rubber or other air impervious material and is clamped over the bed portion of the press by means of the oval clamping ring 29 which is drawn tightly against the table by the bolts so as to compress the marginal portions of the sheets 25 and 28 and form an airtight joint.

An air valve 3! of conventional form is threaded into the valve holder 24 and means are hereinafter described for making connection with the valve for inflating and deflating the presses as required.

Means for holding the shoes on the diaphragms of the presses are provided and form a part of the table. Such shoe holding means in the machine illustrated comprises a hexagonal shaped member 32 supported by and held to the table by the studs 33 which are reduced in diameter at each end to pass through holes formed in the beam and table and clamped by the nuts 34. At a point above each of the sole pressing diaphragms the beam 3?; is provided with depending ears 35 to which a shoe holder bracket 56 is pivoted by the pin 3?. A detent plunger 38 slidable in a hole formed in the beam 32 is pressed by the spring 35 into contact with the top portion of the shoe holder bracket and serves to keep the bracket in the position it is placed by the operator or" the machine while placing a shoe in or removing a shoe from the press. The lower portion of the shoe holder bracket 35 is provided with a T slot in which blocks t5 and ll carrying the heel post 52 and toe pad 43 are slidable. Detents M and 45 serve to retain the heel post and toe pad in the desired set positions for the size of shoes being operated upon.

At the front of the machine, which is the operating station, the guide casting 5G is secured by bolts 5i to the bracket l 1. This guide casting has bores formed in alignment with the valve of a press and slidably mounted in the bores for movement towards and away from the valve of a press is an air suppl member 52 having threaded to its upper end an air supply chuck 53 which is adapted to engage with the valve of a press brought to the operating station and having threaded to its lower end a similar air supply chuck 55 which is adapted to engage with a fitting 55 having a port 55 communicating with an air cylinder 5'! via the hose 58.

A flexible hose 55 serves to connect the air supply member to the compressed air source.

A treadle 59 which is pivoted at 60 to the base it of the machine has a rod 5! pivotally connected thereto. The rod extends upwardly through a hole formed in an extension 52 of the guide casting and is threaded at its upper end into a boss formed on a link 53 which is pivoted at 55 to one end of the lever 65. The central portion of the lever 55 is pivoted at B6 to upstanding ears 5? and the other end of the lever is bifurcated to straddle the annular collars 68 and 59 formed on the air supply member 52. Pinslfl pressed into the lever 55 engage between the collars so that depression of the treadle 59 moves the air supply member upwardly to engage with the valve of a press. The spring H serves to bias the air supply member 52 downwardly so that normally the chuck 54 engages with the port 56 as shown in Fig. 5.

The table 20 is adapted to be rotated when the chuck 55 engages with the port 56 and allows air under pressure to flow into the cylinder 51. As best shown in Fig. 2, the table rotating device comprises the air cylinder 51 having slidable therein a piston '75 attached to the piston rod 15 which extends through a hole in the slide block 1?. The slide block is mounted in a guideway 18 formed on the bracket H and stops l9 and serve to limit its travel. The lever Bl pivoted at 82 to the slide block has a dog 83 which extends vertically to engage with slots 84 formed in the underside of the hub H. A collar 85 is freely slidable upon the piston rod and has a finger 86 extending therefrom which engages the lever so that the spring 5? surrounding the rod and seating against the collar 8-8 set screwed to the rod, biases the lever 8% in a direction allowing the dog 83 to enter a slot 85. As air is admitted to the cylinder 52' and the piston starts to move, the spring 8'5 forces the dog into engagement with the slot 8 2 and further movement of the piston rod moves the slide block ll until it strikes the stop 55 thus rotating the table 20 sufiiciently to bring the next sole press to the operating station with its valve in alignment with the chuck 53.

Movement of the piston rod It continues after the slide block 'a'l strikes the stop 19 further compressing the spring 87 until the cylindrical wedge attached to the piston rod is moved far enough to engage the valve tip of the press preceding that one at the operating station thus opening the valve and allowing the press to defiate.

As a press is brought into the operating station in a deflated condition, the operator simply pulls outwardly and upwardly on the heel portion of the shoe in the press which causes the shoe holder bracket 35 to tilt to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 as the shoe is removed.

Insertion of another shoe, by engagement of the toe of the shoe with the toe pad 43, restores the shoe holder bracket to its shoe contacting position and as the operator depresses the treadle 59 the air supply member is elevated so that the chuck 53 engages the valve of the press to inhate it. As the air supply member is moved towards the press, the chuck 54 moves away from the port 55 and allows the air to escape from the cylinder 51 whereupon the spring 9| forces the piston back to initial position and the collar 92 set screwed to the piston rod returns the slide block to its initial position.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Havingdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a sole pressing machine, the combination comprising, a frame, a table mounted on said frame for rotation about a vertical axis, a plurality of inflatable sole pressing pads secured to said table, an inflating valve for each of said pads, an air-cylinder, means including a piston within said cylinder for indexing said table to bring each of said pads in turn to an operating station, a port for admitting air to said cylinder, a moveable air supplying member, means normally biasing said air supplying member into operative relation with said port, means for moving said air supplying member away from said port and into operative relation with the valve of a pad brought into the operating station to inflate the pad, and means operated by said piston for deflating a pad adjacent to said operating station subsequent to indexing of said table.

2. In a sole pressing machine, the combination comprising, a frame, a table mounted on said frame for rotation about a vertical axis, a plurality of inflatable sole pressing pads secured to said table, an inflating valve foreach of said pads, an air cylinder, means including a piston within said cylinder for indexing said table to bring each of said pads in turn to an operating station, a port for admitting air to and exhausting air from said cylinder,a moveable air supplying member, means normally biasing said air supplying member into engagement with said port to cause said piston to index said table, means for moving said air supplying member away from said port and into engagement with the valve of a pad brought into the' operating station to inflate the pad, means '1 operated by said piston for deflating a pad adjacent to said operating station subsequent to indexing of said table, and means for returning said piston to its initial position. I

3. In a sole pressing machine, the combination comprising a frame, a table mounted on said frame for rotation about a vertical axis, a plurality of inflatable sole pressing pads secured to said table, an inflating valve for each-fol. said pads, an air cylinder, means includinga Piston within said cylinder for indexing saiditable to bring each of said pads in turn to an operating station and for subsequently deflating ajpad adjacent to said station, a port for admitting air to said cylinder, said port being in alignment with a valve of a pad at the operating station, an air supply member reciprocably mounted upon said frame and in alignment with the valve of a pad and said port, and means for reciprocating said air supply member.

4. In a sole pressing machine, the combination comprising a frame, a table mounted upon said frame for rotation abouta vertical axis, a plurality of inflatable sole pressing pads secured to said table, an inflating valve for each of said pads, an air cylinder, means includingv a piston within said cylinder for indexing said table to bring each of said pads in turn to an operating station, a port for admitting air to and"exhaust ing air from said cylinder, said port. being in alignment with the valve of a pad at "the operating station, an air supply member reciprocably mounted upon said frame in alignment with the valve of a pad and said port, an air chuck on each end of said member, and means for reciprocating said member to alternately connect the chuck on one end of said member with the valve of a pad to inflate it and then the chuck on the other end of said member with said port to cause said table to index. 7

5. In a sole pressing machine, the combination comprising, a frame, a table mounted on said frame for rotation about a vertical axis, a plurality of inflatable sole pressing pads secured to said table, an air inlet valve for each of said pads, said valves being arranged to project below said table, an air cylinder, means including said air cylinder for indexing said table to bring each of said pads in turn to an operating station, a port for admitting air to said cylinder, said port being in alignment with the valve of a pad brought into the operating station, an air supply chuck slidably mounted on said frame below said table, and means for alternately sliding said supply chuck into engagement with the valve of a pad at the operating station and said port.

6. In a sole pressing machine, the cornbina tion comprising a rotatable table, aplurality of depressions formed in said table, a flexible sole pressing diaphragm located over each of said depressions, means clamping the marginal edge of said diaphragms to said table to form fluid tight chambers, means including a valve for admitting fluid to each of said chambers, means secured to and rotatable with said table for holding shoes on said diaphragms, a cylinder, means including a piston within said cylinder for rotating said table, a port for admitting fluid to said cylinder, a fluid supplying chuck, said fluid supplying chuck being mounted for movement between said valve and said port, and means for moving said chuck whereby it may be connected to either said valve or said port.

EDWARD F. SMALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

